William conker



(No Model.)

W. OONNER.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 340,099. Patented Apr.-Z0, .1886.

SM W14 oz,

EJNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC \VILLIAM CONNER, OF PEARSON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SILAS SPARKS, OF SAME PLACE.

OAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,099, dated April 20, 1886. Application filed February 17, 1886. Serial No. 192,260. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM CONNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pearson, in the county of Fayette and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in CarOouplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of parts that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a car coupling that is adapted to elevate or lower the outer end of the link in order to enable it to couple with cars of different heights.

In the drawings, Figure lisa side elevation of a car-coupling embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same.

A represents a portion of a freight-car to which is attached a draw-head, B. The mouth or opening ofthe draw-head, which receives the usual coupling-1ink, D, is made sufficiently high to enable the outer end of the coupling to be elevated to cause it to enter the drawhead of another car of a different height from that to which the coupling-link is attached. A vertical extension, E, rises above the mouth or outer end of the draw-head,and through this vertical extension, near the rear end thereof, is made a vertical transverse slot, F. In the center of the Vertical extension E is made a vertical opening, G, through which passes a couplingpin, H. This pin is provided at its lower end with a reduced projecting spindle or point, it, and on the rear side of the said spindle or point, at the upper end thereof, is a shoulder, h. An opening, I, is made in the lower side of the draw-head, through which the spindle or point it passes when the pin is lowered. On the upper side of the lower side of the draw-head, at the inner end thereof, is made a concaved cavity or depression, K.

L represents a' rock-shaft, which extends transversely across the front end of the car, and isjournaled in suitable bearings, M, which are secured thereto, and the said shaft is provided at its ends with hand-wheels N. From the central portion of the said shaft project arms O,th rough the outer ends of which passes a pivotal transverse bolt, P.

R represents links, which have their upper ends pivoted on the ends of the bolt P, and through their lower ends passes a transverse pin or bolt, S, which worksin the slotF in the draw-head and passes through an opening, it", that is made in the coupling-pin.

By turning the shaft L so as to raise or lower the outer ends ofits arms the coupling-pin may be raised or lowered in the draw-head, as will be readily understood. The shoulder h of the coupling-pin bears on the inner end of the 6 coupling-link D, which latter normally rests in a horizontal position on the lower side of the draw -head,as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2. When the car is to be coupled to another having the draw-head on a higher plane than its own, the shaft L is turned to cause the coup ling-pin H to be lowered slightly in the drawhead, which causes the shoulder h to bear upon the inner end of the coupling-link and force it into the concave cavity or depression K, and thereby raise the outer end of the coupling-link to the requisite height in order to enable it to enter the opposing draw-head when the cars come together, the couplinglink being shown in this elevated position in dotted lines in Fig. 1. By turning the shaft L so as to raise the pin H the couplinglink is released and the cars are uncoupled.

The hand-wheels N on the ends of the shafts L enable the cars to be coupled or uncoupled by a man standing on the ground by the side of the car, and thus avoid the necessity of going between the cars in order to couple :them, and thus prevent injury to the person coupling the cars by being caught between them when the cars come together.

In order to enable the cars to be coupled or uncoupled by a person on top of the car, I provide a rod, U, which is pivoted at its lower end to the transverse bolt P, and which rod ,passes through a keeper, V, which projects from the end of the car at its upper side.

A car-coupling thus constructed is cheap and simple, is not likely to get out of order,

and is adapted for, coupling 'cars-ofg different heights.

Having thus described my invention, I

claimi 1. The combination, with the drawhead having the cavity or recess K,of the vertically movable pin H, having the shoulder h, for

hearing on the inner end of the coupling-link to raise the outer end thereof, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the draw-head having the cavity or recess K, the vertically-mow able pin H therein, having the shoulder h, the-rockshaft L, havingthe'. armsi-Q-and the links connecting the said arms with the pin H, whereby the latter may be raised or lowered, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

In testimony-that I claim the foregoing asmy-own I have hereto aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CONNER.

' Witnesses:

O. B. GROVE, G. L. MOALLISTER. 

